Latch protector or preserver.



- w. J` ELLIOTT. LATCH PROTECTOR 0R PRESERVER.

Zak ,akku/mudo a s t 3 iran sirarns rarnnfr Icrimen.

WILLIAM J. ELLIOTT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ADOLPl-I KESSELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYVANIA.

LATCH PROTECTOR OR PRESERVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

Application filed May 20, 19174. Serial No. 839,810.

T all whom t may concern Be it known that l, VILLIAM J. ELLIOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Latch Protector or Pre-v server; and I do hereby decla-re the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which rit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to lthe art of kniti. ting machines, and particularly to the class Y tecting the latches of the needle.

` latches thereof and reducethe danger of breakage or damaging'to a minimum.

This impro-ved protecting means may be applied to any form or construction 0f knitting machine, and it is to be understood that the protecting means may be used in coperation or in conjiuiction with a machine having a latch opener of the type herein shown and described, which type of opener is similar to that shown and described and claimed in the applicationiiled April 15, 1914, Serial No. 831,978.

Tn practical fields the minor details of construction maybe subjected to various minor alterations, falling within the scope of what is claimed. Y

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings :-Figure 1 is a pla-n view of a segmental portion of aknitting machine, showing the improved latch protector or preserver as applied, the same being used in conjunction with said latchr opener. Fig. 2 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of theA latch protector or preserver. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the latch protector looking upwardly thereupon. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of F ig. 2.

As before stated, any form or constructionof knitting machine may be employed,

therefore 1 designates a stationary or immovable part of the machine. As far as the machine is concerned, it is only necessary to illustrate a suflicient nrmiber of partsto carry out the operation of the invention. Carried by the stationary part of the machine is a plunger 2, in the form of a roller. Tn practice, however, a number of these plungers iste be employed for actuating the dogs 3, only one being illustrated. The plunger 2 at certain periods is designed to `be cammed upwardly through the stationary part or bedplate-l by anysuitable means (not shown) Engageablel with'and movable in an annularrecess of the bed plate or stationary Vpart is the usual movable arched ring 4:, which carriesthe dog 3. Said annular recess isv designated by the numeral 5.Vv Also; movable with the arched ring are the upper and lower dial plates 6 and 7, beingsecured together in the usual manner by the screws 8. The dia-l plate 7 is provided with the usual circular or annular slot 9- having the camming portions or surfaces or edges 10, in which slot the lugs 11 of the needles engage, so that when'the lower needle actuating dial plate is in the act of rotation, the needles will be actuated` in the usual manner by the camming surfaces or portions 10, thereby forcing them radially toward the center of themachine, in orderto take and release the thread in the course of knitting. The needle plate 12 is stationary, the same being securedV by the screws 13, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, to a stationary dial plate 14, which as shown at 15, is fixed to the bed plate 1.

Pivoted at- 17, there only being one shown, is a camming link 18, the free end of which has pivoted to it as at 1Sa alink 19, which in turn is pivoted at 2O toi the dog k3. A spring 21 connects between the pivot 18 andthe arched ring as at 22. When the dog 3 is rocked or moved in the direction of the arrow a, thecamming link secured as at 29 to the bed plate or stationary part of the machine. In other words, as the movable dial plate or ring t rotates, the arm 26 comes in contact with the nose 27 of the plate 28, thereby causing the arm 23 to disengage from the notch 25 of the dog 8, in which case the spring 21 will throw the dog in the path of the roller 2. As the dial plate or ring 4 further rotates, the dog 8 will cam against the roller 2, thereby, through the medium of the link 19, actuates the camming link 18, which in turn will actuate the needles. A spring 30 is provided for holding the pawl in its normal position. As stated, the camming link actuates the needles radially toward the center of the machine, and as they are so moving, the latches 31 of the needles 32 (which are in the radial grooves of the needle plate 12) are openedr by the latch opening mechanism 33. These latches are only opened at the time of completing one garment, and starting the knitting of the neXt garment.

rlhe particular form of latch opening mechanism is shown, described and claimed in the 'application of lWilliam J. `Elliott, filed Aprilv 15, 1914, Serial #831,978, which mechanism is designed for l use in connection with a knitting machine, when the improved latch protector or preserver is employed. However, either one or the r)ther may be used independently.

The latch preserver 6% comprises the bracket plate 65. pivotedv at 66, the same being adiustable on said pivot, by means of the set bolt 67, which passes through the segmental slot 68 of said plate. By loosening and tightening the set bolt 67, the plate may be. adjusted on its pivot. Adjust-ably secured in the bore of the plate,

.that is, of the enlarged end 69 thereof, by

means oi a set screw 70 is a rod 71, one of its end portions terminating in an enlargement 72, in the aperture 73 of which by means of a set bolt 74E a pin75 is adjustably secured, the lower end of which terminates in the latch. preserver plate 76, which may be disposed at diiierent angles, relative to the travel oii the upper and lower dial plates. This latch preserver plate is provided with the usual opening 77, through which the thread is ted, and which thread travels in the cuts or grooves 78, of the under face of said preserver plate, in knitting the garment. As the upper and lower dial plates are in the act of moving, the latch preserver plate travels over the various needles, as they are projected radially toward t-he center of the machine in knitting, thereby protecting the latches, as well as the needles. This plate 76 not'only protects and preserves the needles, but also acts in preventing the latches from closing. The end 7 9 of the plate 76 is beveled oli' or curved 0E, as shown at 80, so that the plate 7 6 will easily glide over the needles.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is 1. In combination with a knitting machine having a series of latch needles and provided with a revoluble member, a device carried by the revolublemember of the knitting machine for gliding over the latches thereby protecting the same, said device comprising a plate pivoted on said revoluble member and extending radially of the knitting machine, said plate having at one end an elongated slot, means extending through the elongated slot and engaging the revoluble member for holding the plate adjustable on its pivot, the other end I of the plate having a socket, a rod mounted in said socket, a set screw for holding the rod adjustable in the socket, one end of the rod 'having an enlargement, a latch needle protecting plate movable with said revoluble member and in a horizontal plane, said protecting plate having a threading eye and groove at one end, while the other end is rounded 0H and adapted to glide ,over the latches of the needle, a pin rising upwardlyV from the protecting plate, and being mounted adjustable vertically and revolubly in said enlargement, whereby the protecting plate may be adjusted at different angles to the annular movement of the revoluble member.

2. In combination with a knitting machine having a series of latch needles and provided with a revoluble member, a device carried by the revoluble member of the knitting machine for gliding 'over the latches thereby protecting the same, said device comprising a plate pivoted on said revoluble member and extending radially ofthe knitting machine, means cooperating with one end of said plate and said member for holding the plate adjustable on its pivot, the other end of the plate having a socket, a rod mounted in said socket, a set screw for holding the rod adjustable in the socket, one end of the rod having an enlargement, a latch needle protecting plate movable with said revoluble member and in a horizontal plane, said protecting plate having a thread-r upwardly from the protecting plate, and .name to this specification in the presence of being mounted dadjpstable vertilally and two subscribing witnesses. revolubly in sai en argement, w ereb the protecting plate may be adjusted at dier- WILLIAM J ELLIOTT ent angles to the annular movement of the Witnesses: revoluble member. JOHN W. RITTER In testimony whereof I have signed my GEORGE WUNDERLICK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Y f Washington, D. C. Y 

